[LIVE] George Weah sworn in as 24th president of Liberia amid rousing cheers

Thousands of Liberian citizens, diplomats, international footballers converged at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville, outside the capital Monrovia, to witness the inauguration of ex-footballer George Weah as the 24th president of Liberia.

Some football stars including Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o and Nigeria’s Sunday Oliseh and Taribo West were present at the historic ceremony as George Weah becomes the first football star to rise to the level of president of a country.

Thousands of Liberians queued outside the stadium since Sunday to secure seats to witness the swearing-in of the football star turned president. 51-year-old Weah won the first round of the presidential election with 38.4% of the vote and won the second round with 61% of votes against outgoing Vice President Joseph Boakai.

Weah was sworn-in at noon with his Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor – ex-wife of former Liberian president Charles Taylor who has been incarcerated for war crimes.

Below is a LIVE feed and LIVE online updates of the ceremony from the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville.

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Ismail Akwei is the Head of Content at Face2face Africa. He is an international journalist (digital/ broadcast media), human rights advocate, pan-Africanist, tech enthusiast and a lover of art and culture. He has worked with multinational media companies in three African countries and has over a decade's experience in journalism.